Folding crate.



e. w. M. SMITH:

FOLDING CRATE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2B, 1903.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

2 SHEET8 SHEET 2.

AZ 14 1a a", if

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. M. SMITH, OF CAPE GIBARDEAU, MISSOURI.

FOLDING CRATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cape Girardeau, in the county of Cape G irardeauand State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingCrates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an improved. crate which is designedparticularly for use in shipping poultry and which is adapted to beknocked down when being returned in an empty condition, so as to be lessliable to be injured,and to be more compact in form,

" and thus economize in the freight charge.

With thisand other objects in view that will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructionsand arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describeand claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and toacquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means foreffecting the result, reference is to behad to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmy improved crate; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse section; Fig. 4 isan end view showing the crate partially collapsed; Fig. 5 is a detailview in horizontal section of one end; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of aportion of the crate showing the to secured to one end when the partsare in co lapsed position; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective viewof the inside of the crate.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the samereference characters.

My improved crate comprises a preferably rectangular solid bottom 1which is provided with an upwardly disposed marginal strip 2, and twosides 3 that are frame-like in structure and embody end and intermediatecross bars 41- which are hingedly connected at their lower ends to thebottom or marginal strip 2. The end cross bars of the side frames areSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1908.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

Serial No. 418,304.

formed with laterally and inwardly disposed flanges 5, and keepers 6 aremounted in the respective flanges and are formed at their outer endswith heads 7 and at their inner ends with heads 7, the latter headsbeing preferably elongated, as shown, for a purpose to be presentlydisclosed. The corresponding keepers 6 are slidingly mounted in therespective transversely spaced slots 10 formed in the opposite ends of arim 9 that depends from the top 8 of the coop or crate, said top beingof any desired or approved construction or design,-although in thepresent instance, it is frame-like in construction, as shown. The ends11 of the crate are also formed of frames which embody end andintermediate cross bars 12 that are hingedly connected at their lowerends to the bottom 1 or the marginal strip 2, the end cross bars beingformed at their upper or free ends with vertically elongated recesses 13which provide clearances for the elongated heads 7 of the keepers incertain positions of the same. These ends 11 are overlapped by, and havetheir outward movement limited by the rim 9 and the flanges 5, while thekeepers 6 are designed to be partially rotated so as to engage theelongated heads 7 thereof with the end cross bars 12 and prevent anyinward movement of such ends 11, thereby maintaining the same in anupright position. In order to further sustain the sides 3 and the ends11 of the crate in an operative or upright position, headed or T-bolts14 are mounted with their screw threads in the upper or free ends of theintermediate cross bars 4 and 12 and have their heads designed to bepassed through horizontally elongated openings 15 formed in the rim 9,and to be turned with the T heads vertically into engagement with thelatter to secure the parts together.

In the preferred construction of the crate, a transverse partition 16 ishingedly connected. to the bottom l'of the coop, and is designed to besupported in an upright position to divide the crate into twocompartments, any suitable means being employed for such purpose, as tworetaining members 17' which partition and that extend upwardly therebeyond and are coiled, as shown, so as to be adapted to be slip ed overthe inner ends of the adjacent T-bol s 14 that project inwardly for thispur ose. Beyond the coils, the wire strips are aterally and inwardlydisposed and are looped, as indicated at 18, so as to render theretaining members susceptible of being conveniently sprung inwardly todisen gage the Coil thereof from the T-bolts.

As one means of rendering the interior of the crateconvenientlyaccessible, two of the' slats of the top frame 8 near theopposite ends of the crate are constructed with hinged sections whichform doors 19 leading into and from the respective compartments, the

said doors being designed to be closed or locked in any suitable manner,and being preferably formed at intermediate points with elongatedopenings 20 that serve in con junction with the headed bolts 14of theends 11, to secure the parts in position when the crate is folded.

In the practical use of my improved crate, when it is desired to knockdown the latter to render it more conveniently ship ed, a suitable toolor the like is passed tirough the frame-like top 8 and engaged with theloo s 18 to spring the retaining members inwar y and disengage the coilsthereof from the inner extremities of the corresponding T-bolts 14;, thepartition 16 being thus released and being swung downwardly against thebottom 1. The 1espectiveT-b0lts 1e are then turned out of engagementwith the rim 9 and the keepers 6 are partially rotated so as todisengage the elongated heads 7 thereof from the vertical slots 13 inthe end cross bars 12 of the ends 11, whereupon the latter are swungdownwardly against the bottom 1. To complete the knocking down of thecrate, the sides 3 are swung inwardly and downwardly in a mannerillustrated in Fig. 4, as is permitted by their pin and slot connectionwith the top, and such movement obviously lowers the latter and causesall of the parts to assume folded positions. When the crate iscompletely collapsed, the heads of the T- bolts 14 carried by theintermediate cross bars 12 in the ends 11 are arranged to extend throughthe openings 20 in doors 19 and are ada )ted to be turned intoengagement with the atter to hold the parts securely folded and permitthe crate to be handledconveniently and with a minimum danger ofbecoming injured. The above operation is reversedwhen it is desired torestore the crate to its normal position.

. Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

A knockown Grate c p g a tom, a top, sides and ends hingedly connectedto the bottom, and headed fastening elements mounted in the sides andslidingly connecting the same to the top, said fasten-.

ing elements, being ada ted to be turned into engagement with t e endsto support the same in operative position.

2. A kn0cklown crate comprising a bottom, a top having a rim formed ineach end with a slot, sides hingedly connected at one end to the bottomand formed with laterally and inwardly disposed flanges, keepersrotatably mounted in the respective flanges and formed at their innerextremities with'heads, said keepers being slidingly mounted in therespective slots in the rim, and ends hingedly connected to the bottomand formed at their-swinging ends with recesses providing clearances forthe heads of the keepers in certain positions thereof, said keepersbeing adapted to be turned to engage the heads with the ends, as and forthe purpose specified. 1

3. A knockrdowncrate comprisin abottons, a top, sides hingedly connecteto the bottom and having a sliding connection with the top, endshingedly connected tothe bottom, means for rigidly securing the sidesand'ends to the top, a partition hingedly connected to the bottom andadapted to be supported in an upright position to divide tie crate intotwo compartments, retamin members com rising resilient strips of metarigidly secure at one end to the swinging end ofthe partition andprojecting beyond the same and formed with coils, and fasten:- ing meanscarried by sundry parts of the crate and with which the coils'aredesigned to be engaged to detachably support the partition.

4. A knock-down crate. comprising a bottom, a top, sideshingedlyconnected to the bottom having a sliding connection with thetop, ends hingedly connected to the bottom, fastening means mounted inthe sides and ends andarranged for engagement with the top to securesaid parts thereto, a transverse partition hingedly connected to thebottom, and means carried by the artition and arranged for engagementwit sundry of said fastening means to sustain the partition in anoperative position.

5 A knock-down crate comprising a bottom, atop having a rim formed withmarginal openings,sides hingedly connected to the bottom and having asliding connection with the top, ends hingedly connected to the with thetop, as and for the purpose specibottom, headed fastening elementsmounted fied. 10 in the sides and ends and arranged to pass In testimonywhereof I affix my signature through the openings in the rim and turnedin presence of two witnesses.

- into engagement therewith to su port the GEORGE W. M. SMITH. [L. s.]

parts in an operative position, sunc ry of said Witnesses: fasteningelements being deslgned 1n the ORAL TURNIPSEED, folded position ot thecrate for engagement A. U. SMITH.

